What About Him?
by Madam RedRose25
Summary: Norb is getting married to Treeflower! But faces a dilemma that never crossed his mind- what about Dag? Everyone knows his brother can’t live on his own without causing mayhem, so what is Norb to do to make sure his and his brother’s futures are secure?


**WHAT ABOUT HIM?**

**Full summary**: Norb is getting married to Treeflower! But faces a dilemma that never crossed his mind- what about Dag? Everyone knows his brother can't live on his own without causing mayhem, so what is Norb to do to make sure his and his brother's futures are secure?

It seemed the mood and weather of the forest was reflecting off the mood that was being emitted from one of its animal residents. A furry golden beaver was walking around the forest floor without a care, swinging around in circles every-so-often and humming to himself. Norbert Foster Beaver was elated- he had just asked his beloved girlfriend Treeflower for her hand in marriage and she accepted. He couldn't believe it- they had had such an on and off again relationship since they met but he knew from that day at the rock festival, when he first set eyes upon her beautiful blue ones, she was the one.

Norbert's dam came into view minutes later and he did another spin before hurrying up the wooden walkway. He gripped the hammer doorknob and entered the home with a flourish. Norb's younger brother by four mere minutes, Daggett, was currently sitting on the sofa in the middle of the Wednesday Monster Movie Marathon with a bag of Too Hot to Handle Chips. He turned to his brother's direction when he heard him walk in.

"Norb! Where have you been? You missed the first half of the Wednesday Monster Movie Marathon- with more monsters!" were Daggett's first words.

Norb appeared to not have heard him. Instead he did anther twirl and walked over to his brother. He lifted him off the sofa and hugged him. "Oh Daggy Waggy Short and Saggy- you'll never believe it! The happiest happiest moment of my life has just happened!"

"Well so has mine, I was able to watch the Brain Who Ate Everyone part three without you trying to scare me this time!" Dag glared and struggled out of his brother's hold.

"No! This is more important than horror movies!"

Dag gasped. "Norb! You didn't"-

"I did," Norb said firmly. "Dag, I asked Treeflower to marry me- and she said yes!"

Dag looked at Norbert and scratched his head.

"Dag- I'm going to marry Treeflower!"

A broad grin appeared on the brown beaver's face. He leapt up and clapped his hands in joy. "Oh goodie goodie goodie Norb! I knew you had it in you!" he slugged his brother's shoulder.

"Well, it's been a few years but, you're right," Norb said slyly and examined his paw.

"Ohh!! We have to make plans! The theme! The color! The location!" Dag was about to hurry off into the large closest by the kitchen but Norb stepped on his tail causing him to fall.

"Whoa their Dag-Miester, hold on. I only asked her today, we can't make plans if we don't even have a date yet."

Dag frowned. "Well make one. In the mean time- whhooo!" Dag began to dance around the living room the same way Norb did. "This calls for some mu-sic baby!" Dag hit the play button on their stereo and it began to blare disco music.

Norb couldn't help it- he joined in his brother's dancing as well.

"I can't believe it, my own brother, finally has a finanche!" Dag winked at Norb as he took his paw and continued to move to the beat.

"It's pronounced fiancé," Norb pointed out.

"Whatever. Ooh, this means Treeflower will be part of the family now huh?"

"Well, yeah," Norb smiled as he patted his chest. "I didn't think you'd be so happy for me."

Dag stopped dancing and turned off the music. "Well of course I am bro, another family member. Even _I_ know how crazy you've been about her for years. This means we can all live in this dam like one big happy family Norby!" Dag began to wiggle once more.

"Whoa- what?" Norb voiced.

Dag appeared to not have heard him.

"You- you think we're going to live- here?"

"Well _duh_," Dag rolled his eyes. "You already do now. Really Norb, I thought you were the smart one." he wiggled his finger around Norb's head.

Norb bit his lip at what Daggett was saying- he thought he was going to live here, with his new wife. Suddenly the happy feeling evaporated from Norb. "Um, Dag…"

"She likes jalapeños doesn't she? Oh! We can have jalapeño eating contests! And get her into scaaaarry movies! And- and swim in the pond of course, and stay up all night and have fun fun fun!"

"Yeah, about that…"

"Yes Norb?" Dag smiled.

Norb scratched his ear. "Um, I just remembered- I have to- tell her something- I'll be back!" and Norb raced out of the dam to find Treeflower.

"He thinks what?" Treeflower frowned at Norb as they sat in her living room.

"That we're going to be living in my dam and live how we always do," Norb sighed.

"Oh no… surely he knows what we want, what you want. Unless of course, you want to live in your old dam."

"I do- but, not like that," Norb shook his head. "It's been a few years now, I'm done living that cool-say bachelor life. I've found the perfect girl for me and I want to do what everyone wants. Build a new dam with you and start a family."

Treeflower looked upset as she held onto Norbert's paws.

"And he still thinks I want to play games and watch horror films. I never thought for a moment about Dag. The poor guy doesn't even realize…"

"Well, have you ever told him what you wanted?" Treeflower asked.

"Of course I did, too many times to count. Like he'd remember?" Norb said crossly. "I don't even know if he can take care of himself. Ohhh, what am I going to do?" he said dramatically.

Treeflower sighed. "He has to know Norby. But if you're too nervous about what he'll say, I can say it with you so he knows you aren't abandoning him."

Norb looked up. "You'd do that?"

"Hey, I'm going to be your wife soon, I'll do anything you say sweetie."

Norb smiled and kissed her. "Thanks. C'mon, best get the worst over with."

When Norb walked into his dam again he gasped at what he saw- it was decorated with balloons and streamers and yet again, an over-excited Daggett. He went up to Treeflower and kissed her hand.

"Welcome to the famulay Treeflower! And you're new home!"

"Um, thanks Dag," she chuckled.

"Dag, you're taking this too far, you don't need to celebrate just yet," Norb complained as he kicked aside stray balloons.

"Aww, does someone have a case of cold feet already?"

Norb growled as Dag pinched him.

"Daggett- cut it out!" Norb finally cried.

Dag stood still. "What is it Norby? Oh- have you called Mom and Dad yet? And Stacy and Chelsea? And"-

"Cut-it-_out_!" Norb repeated and poked him with each word.

"Seesh, fine."

Norb looked at Treeflower for help. She stepped up.

"Um, listen Dag; you know what will happen when Norbert and I marry right?"

"Why do you think I'm celebrating?"

"Yes, well, you see…"

"I'll take care of this," Norb told her and stepped up. "Look Dag, I want to do what Mom and Dad did when they got together. I want to start a family of my own."

"Oooh! Little Norbs and Treeflowers- how wonderful!" Dag sang.

"It's not like that. I want my own family, my own wife, my own dam," Norb said as plain as day.

"I- I-I- er whaaaat?"

"I want my own dam and I want Treeflower there to help me."

Dag scratched his eyebrow and rubbed his chin.

"This means I won't be living here anymore."

Dag's eyes widened suddenly before his whole demure changed. "Oh, if that's how it is, fine." He gathered up as many balloons as he could and impatiently kicked them in the closet before ascending the stairs.

"Dag- wait!" Norb turned to Treeflower. "I'll- I'll talk to you later Tree."

"I understand. But don't be too hard on him." she kissed his cheek and walked out.

Norb was at their bedroom door which was locked. He knocked lightly. "Dag? Daggett? Daggy? Daggle-puss? C'mon, open it for me."

Silence.

Norb sighed. "C'mon, you knew it was coming, I told you a thousand times over the years. Why when we first built the dam I told you I wanted to find someone."

Dag finally opened the door. "You did not!"

"I did so! I would know, you doofy loofy- forgetful little person!" Norb argued waving his finger around Dag's head.

"No! I'm sick of it Norbert! Sick of how you- you use your special, magical, oohhy-aahhhy little tricks to- to trick me!"

"I never tricked you!"

"This was going to be our home my brother! Our home! And we were going to have all the fun we weren't allowed to have with Mom and Dad around. Remember it? Remember all the times? How could you just walk away from it all?" Dag hung onto Norb's fur in a pleading manner.

"Dag," Norb said gently. "I wasn't trying to trick you three years ago. I did tell you what I _wanted_. Honest, it was one of the few times I was telling you the truth. It's just you- you forget things. Why would I place the blame on me?"

Dag glared. "Because you do that Norbert Beaver!"

Norb sighed. His father always told him one day all his 'trickery' would come back to haunt him. But honestly, who could meet Dag and not fool with his little mind?

"Tell me this- why can't you just live here? We could build another room, just for you two. We could build more as you start having kids of your own. Please Norby; I don't wanna live away from you!" Dag cried.

"Dag, this was only supposed to be our _bachelor pad_. Not a permanent home."

Dag sniffed. "Well it's _my_ perfect home."

Norb sighed and stepped away from his little brother. "I have to do some _pon_-dering. I'll be downstairs if you need me okay?" he said softly.

Dag didn't reply back, he only turned around and went to his top bunk. Meanwhile, Norbert sat on the sofa and frowned in thought. Had he told Dag what he wanted years ago? He must have because he knew it was what he wanted before he left his parents' home. Yes, he did see it! he could see it like it happened the other day- as he and Daggett walked around their new home the first time- as they sat on this very sofa Norb leaned back with a content sigh and placed his arms around his head.

"_Ahh, yes, this new place will do just super-duper fine-yay."_

"_You could say that again brother," Dag beamed in agreement, also stretching out._

"_The perfect spot to kick back, have some fun and wait for that perfect someone."_

_Dag looked at him._

"_Our bachelor pad baby! You and me- us- bachelors of the forest- ready to find that perfect chick-ey and build our own dam and famulay," Norb pointed out as he poked Dag._

_Dag smiled. "You said it again brother."_

"_I know, I admire my own sap-uriore self see?"_

Present-day Norb shook his head. He had told Dag what he wanted- and Dag agreed! He wanted to get right up and prove it to his little brother again but stopped himself-the real problem at hand wasn't that Dag didn't remember, it was the fact Dag simply could live on his own. And he couldn't ring up their little sisters, Stacy and Chelsea about it- they were happy living in their own dam now and when the time came they would want to have a family as well. Even Norb had more confidence Chelsea would be able to look after herself and she reminded him of their brother. What was he going to do? Norb sighed- he figured it best to tell their mother, she would know what to do with Dag more than anyone.

He picked up their moose phone and dialed his parents'. His mother picked up.

"Um, hello Mother," Norb said nervously.

"Norbert! Hello dear, how are you?"

Norb wasted no time telling her about his proposal to Treeflower.

"Ohh this is fantastic news dear! Oh my, so much planning that needs to be done- I have to tell your father"-

"No Mom, wait- there's- a problem I have about everything. See, I want to live in a new home with Treeflower, start a famulay and all that. Thing is, Dag feels he'll be left behind-ya."

"What do you mean?"

"He wants me to still live with him!" Norb said as if it were the most obvious thing.

"Well, you did promise your brother you'd look out for him. You promised me as well," Mrs. Beaver said just as obvious back.

"I know that," Norb rubbed his eyes. "But that doesn't help. I can't leave him alone, but I can't have him around me when I try to start things off with my future wife."

He could almost here her thinking on the other end. He finally heard her sigh.

"Norbert, you promised you'd look after Daggett for me. Whatever plans you had you said you'd put your brother before anything. You know how he is, he cant function- well, he needs to live with someone, anyone. And you are the closest person he knows," she said regretfully.

"Mom! C'mon! You're telling me I have to give up my future to _ba_-bay-sit him?!"

"I am not! You know how Daggett is- he needs you around Norbert! The last thing I need to have is a phone call from him saying you abandoned him and left him in the dust," she said crossly.

"Why are you always taking his side?" Norb cried back, feeling his anger rising. "Like I'd ever let something happen?"

"He's not as clever as you," Mrs. Beaver spoke.

Norb growled. "You know you aren't helping. Maybe he should just move back in with you and Dad to give me some time for my future."

Mrs. Beaver sighed again. "I know you probably wanted to have a family one day since you were little. You were always more responsible. But I thought you'd take care of your brother at the same time."

Norb rubbed his eyes again. "I've got to go and come up with some-thang, myself then." He hung up with a hasty good-bye.

A week had passed. Dag chose to ignore Norb for those seven days (of course, he was trying too hard and it led to mayhem as usual). Those seven days Norb tried to talk to his brother and get his attention- he really didn't want him to feel as if he didn't want him in his life anymore. Norb finally had it on day eight-

"Daggett will you just listen to me?!" Norb yelled out at him over breakfast.

Dag stuck his nose in the air- moving his body too quickly and failing out the chair. Muttering angrily he climbed back on, a deep scowl on his face. He then began dramatic.

"Fine Norbert- I cannot ignore you any longer!" he covered his eyes with a paw.

"Good, you're being more annoy-yang than normal. Listen, I have to talk to you about this whole spooty 'moving out' thang."

"I'm listening," Dag said looking somber as he played with his bowl of Berries and Twigs cereal.

Norb sighed. "I don't want to place the blame on you for once. I _do_ know I told you when we first moved in I wanted a famulay. You can be as much of a spoothead about it as you want but it happened. How_ever_," he added. "I don't want to abandon you here. I promised Mom and I promised you- heck, even _moy_, that I'd look after you."

"So?"

"So? So I want to keep that promise. Dag, I love you, I really do. I don't want you to think I don't," Norb said seriously.

"With all of your spooty death-grip hugs I'd think so," Dag said simply.

"Yeah- so you see? I love you; I really do, even if you could win the medal for world's most annoy-yang brother. I want to find a way where we both can be happy. But I don't think it'd be in this dam."

"But"-

"And it's not just me, Treeflower may not say it but I know she wants a place of her own as well. But I promise you, until I can come up with an iiiidea, I won't pack up a single sock, hm?" Norb gave him a hopeful smile.

Dag looked at him, frowning in 'deep' thought. After several rubs of the chin and tapping of the head, his face broke. "Really?"

"Really," Norb smiled.

Dag caught Norb by surprise and hugged him. "Oh thank-you Norby. I don't want to ruin your plans, but I don't want you to leave me just yet. Or are you just messing with my head?"

"Honest to goodness, I'm not," Norb held out his arms in surrender.

Dag smiled and hugged him again quickly. "Thanks Norby."

"Don't mention it."

It did bother Norbert how weeks passed by and instead of trying to plan for the wedding or even coming up with a marriage date, he was trying to figure out what to do about Daggett. Treeflower understood and told him to take as long as he needed. Norb shook his head whenever she said this- could he really have found a better girl? Norb had gone over to his sisters' new dam several miles away from their own to ask their opinion on the situation.

"Well I don't think Daggy will want to stay here even if we let him," Stacy frowned as she rubbed her chin.

"I know, look at this place- it's way too girly, and even Daggy will have a problem with that," Chelsea said matter-of-factly.

"You know you aren't _help_ing," Norb had to say.

"We're sorry Big Brother, but it is a unique situation. Daggy can't live on his own, he'd blow it up or allow strangers to come in and take over- again," Stacy added.

Norb shook his head. Two years ago Dag had left the door open after he and Norb had gone for a morning swim, only to come back and find it filled with raccoons. It had taken days to get rid of them and Norb swore he would not allow his brother to be in charge of even locking the door to the home whenever they left it. Time before that a large family of otters had taken over- and before that- wolverines. It could not happen _again_.

"Is he really that hard to be trusted?" Norb asked rhetorically.

He got his answer when he came home that evening- when he stepped into the dam he found the kitchen in ruins.

"Daggett! What on earth did you do?!" he cried.

Dag popped his head out from around the table. "I made dinner, see?" he pointed out a few dishes of mush on the table.

"The kitchen is a mess! There's stuff every-_war-ah_!"

Dag looked at the gunky floors and walls as if he just noticed that. "Oh that. Well, the over caught fire so- it would make a mess wouldn't it? Ehh!"

Norb slapped his face.

"In the mean time bro- look at the cooley-wooley casserole I made! Tuna! Mmm! Hey! Get back here you spooty- oohhhh!" Dag cried out when a live fish began flopping around in the dish.

"I don't even _like_ tuna!"

"You don't? Well it's for dinner if-I-can-just-get the spooty little-booger back _in_!" Dag began wrestling with the live supper.

Norb sighed and caught the fish, opened the window and tossed it back into their pond.

"Hey!" Dag said crossly.

"I'll microwave something okay?" Norb said easily and began to rummage in the freezer. After popping in two trays he looked back at Dag.

Dag sighed. "Go ahead, say it."

"Say what?"

"Point out how I can't even do something like cook dinner."

"I'm- not," Norb bit his lip.

"Stacy and Chelsea couldn't help?"

"Nope. But don't worry! I promise you I'm not going anywhere yet!" Norb said hastily, knowing what was on his brother's mind.

"Well sooner or later you will. Sooner or later you'll have enough of me and my mess- you'll run off and quickly build a home far far away. You'll leave me all alone in this big ol' dam, on this big ol' pond. So big you could fit five other homes around it. And I'll be surrounded by all the emptiness," Dag began to say in another opera-like dramatic way.

Norb raised a brow in thought. "Big ol' pond… that's it!" he suddenly cried.

"Eh?"

"Dag! You did it! You just figured out the solution!"

"I- I did?"

"Yes! But no time to explain! I have more _pon_-dering to do!" and Norb ran off.

"So you see? It's the perfect solu-tion!" Norb was telling Treeflower the next day.

Treeflower rubbed her chin. "Well, it does make sense. And it would make everyone happy."

"Well?"

Treeflower smiled. "Oh Norb- it's perfect!" and she threw her arms around him.

Norb smiled embarrassedly. "Great, well I'll go tell it to Dag now. The sooner we have a home the sooner we can plan the wedding."

"Well? What is it? What? What? What?" Dag asked repeatedly as he sat on the sofa and Norb walked around.

"Daggy-Ding-Dong, I have a solu-tion that should make us all hap-pay."

"Eh?"

"Why you're the one who thought of it last night. You see, we live on a pretty big lake don't we?"

Dag frowned. "Ehh… sure."

"Big enough for five more homes- you remember saying that? Hm?" Norb sat next to him and turned his nose to face him.

Dag thought again. "Oh oh… ohhh! I think I do Norb!"

"Well I thought that Treeflower and I could build a dam nearby- on the same lake. How does that sound?"

"Ooohh…"

"We'd be able to have our own place but we- especially _moy_, will be right by in case you need anything. You won't have to fear being home alone if we're just a _teensy_ little swim away."

"Really?"

"Our hatch will always be open for you to swim on in. Really."

Dag smiled as he thought about this. "So- so we'd be like neighbors wouldn't we? And you'll be nearby."

"Mmmhm," Norb nodded.

Dag scratched his head. "It takes care of everything then doesn't it?"

"Mmmm," Norb murmured again. "So what do you say? _Neigh_brours?" he nudged him with his arm.

Dag had a beam on his face now and held up his paw. "Neighbors, _brother_."

Norb shook it. "Then let's get to work."

"Hey Norby," Dag said as his older brother got off the sofa.

"What's that Dag-o-Dil?"

"Beavers don't really have neigh_brours_ do they? We'd be u-u- what's that word that means different but is a cooley woolier word?"

"Unique?"

"Yeah! We'd be unique!"

"As long as we both get what we want- I my own space to have a famulay and you the comfort knowing I'm right by- that's all that matwas."

"Wait- who's going to be living wear? Are you going to live here or what?"

"No can do Daggy, this place is much too small for a famulay, it only has one room."

"Oh. Well since you're being oh-so-kind about everything, I'll do whatever it is you want me to do," Dag smiled happily as he stood in front of his brother.

Norb tapped his lip. "Now that you mention it, there is something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Ask away Norbert," Dag beamed.

Norb looked almost embarrassed. He moved his foot around and scratched his neck. "Well, see Dag, I was kind of hoping you'd want to be- my best man."

Dag's eyes grew wide. "Y-y-y-you want me to be- you're- best man?"

Norb nodded. "You're the- well, despite how ridiculously _annoy_-ang you can be"-

"Hey!"

"You still are, the best man, I've ever known," Norb said lamely.

Dag burst into tears and hugged him. "Oh Norbert! You want me to be your best man! (_sniff_) My partner in crime is finally growing up!"

Norb smiled and hugged him back. "I am, Daggy, I am."

Wedding plans soon came underway for Norb and Treeflower's wedding. In the midst of the planning they also began to map out what they wanted their new dam to look like. They decided to build it on the opposite side of the existing pond several feet across from the boys' dam. They wanted a home before their wedding. They did not however know how many rooms to build.

"It depends on how many kids we have," Treeflower told him.

"Well how many are you planning to have?" Norb had asked.

"I don't know, what about you?"

"Well, however many come I suppose. At least two."

Treeflower smiled. "Then three bedrooms?"

"Three sounds good."

A small but wonderful wedding ceremony took place a few months later in the forest where family and close friends gathered round to witness the marriage between Norbert Foster Beaver and Treeflower Dawn Wilson. Right after the two gathered up their luggage for their honeymoon in tropical Hawaii. Norb walked over to the other side of the pond to see his brother standing on the steps of his former dam.

Norb wadded over to him.

"Sure you'll be alright by yourself for a while?"

Dag smiled. "Sure as sugar brother. Besides, it'll only be for a week. You can stay longer, I don't mind."

"I couldn't do that, I made sure we'd be gone for a short while _because_ I know how you are."

"Really Norbert, I'll be fine and dandy. Even if you're living right across from me doesn't mean I can't learn how to take care of the home by myself," Dag said looking proud.

"Are you sure? The whole point of living across from you was"-

"I know Norby. Now you two lovebirds go along. Go on- I can call Mom or our sisters if anything happens. Promise I will. Call me when you get there!" Dag waved a happy paw.

Norb smiled as he fixed his Hawaiian print shirt. "Well then, for ooool' times sake- biiiig hug!"

Next thing Dag knew he was having the living daylights squeezed out of him by his older brother. Norb lifted him up before setting him back down again.

"Yeah yeah, love you too Nor-bo," Dag passed off.

Norb looked touched. "Gee, thanks Daggle-doof. You take care of yourself okay?"

"I will, now go," Dag exasperated.

Norb bade a final farewell before hopping onto the bus that was waiting for them with Treeflower.

"Hope you don't mind," Norb told her.

"I know how you two are, really, it's fine," she kissed him.

Dag stood outside the bus and waved to his brother before it sped off to the airport. Dag sighed as he looked behind him. He walked up and patted his front door.

"Well, guess it's just you and me now damy. We'll try to make the most of it then."

He opened the door and walked into his very own dam, ready to begin life on his own now.

There you have it, my first Beaver fic. So cool as I spent all my 11-year-old self writing Beaver fics. Now I am able to create new ones for the world to read. I know there aren't a lot of TAB fics but please do leave a review. I tried my best, getting the boys' dialect is harder than I thought. There might be a part two to this. So yeah- review!

_Love and magic: Rose, November 12, 2009_


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